It's a tough job....

[JPSmit]

Back to work this week and on of the first things we (mostly Mrs JP) had to do was go do some staff training at our synod camp - in the Muskokas - this is about 2 hours north of Toronto and kind of like the catskills as "THE" holiday destination for the beautiful and not so beautiful (5 million dollar cottages are not at all unusual and on a few lakes even a million doesn't get you much)

We went up the day before so we could be there first thing and had some time to eat and drink waterside - and a short cruise on the Peerless II

Untitled by John-Peter Smit, on Flickr

this out of Port Carling. It has been on the Muskoka lakes for 72 years - and, for almost all that time delivered gas and oil for BA - when it was decommissioned for this they turned it into a tourist boat.

A lovely cruise and made even more lovely by the fact that we locked through the Port Carling lock (less than three feet high) at the end.


Untitled by John-Peter Smit, on Flickr

Untitled by John-Peter Smit, on Flickr

Untitled by John-Peter Smit, on Flickr

Untitled by John-Peter Smit, on Flickr

a really lovely day!

 

[JPSmit]

Here is another boat (the Bigwin) on another lake (another trip)

Untitled by John-Peter Smit, on Flickr

and the most famous of all - the Segwun (which we have been on a few times) It is very surreal being on a boat this big travelling within a few yards of shore - and with the quiet that comes from steam.

and in 1925

 

[JPSmit]

and, in the first pic you see Duke's - Duke boats used to make boats like this

the big antique boat show is this saturday - we will miss it.

https://www.acbs.ca/index.php/boat-show/boat-show-registration-link

 

[Basil]

I like Miss Penny! Sweet!

 

[Brooklands]

Lovely photos...thanks for sharing.

 

[sail]

Looks like a great area, thanks for a new destination.

I'd bet Miss Penny sounds so good idling you wouldn't even need to leave the dock for a great experience. Inboards get my heart thumping.

 

[JPSmit]

Looks like a great area, thanks for a new destination.

I'd bet Miss Penny sounds so good idling you wouldn't even need to leave the dock for a great experience. Inboards get my heart thumping.

To set the record straight - I just pulled the Miss Penny pic off the interweb for reference - though Saturday the show will be astonishing - (I have been) not just big steam launches but hopefully boats like Miss Canada IV

(Today they are having a poker run through the lakes in these boats) - sigh

 

[DrEntropy]

Nice, JP! I do miss my summers on the southern shores of Lake Erie, but the winters were too brutal.

 

[Silverghost]

Here is another boat (the Bigwin) on another lake (another trip)

Untitled by John-Peter Smit, on Flickr

and the most famous of all - the Segwun (which we have been on a few times) It is very surreal being on a boat this big travelling within a few yards of shore - and with the quiet that comes from steam.

View attachment 54393

and in 1925
View attachment 54392

My grandparents bought a cottage in Muskoka in about 1926. My cousins still have it. My dad used to take the Segwun, the Sagamo, the Cherokee and others from Gravenhurst to Beaumaris as a kid. One time he missed the last steamer and had to walk. Only did that once! He was thrilled when they recommisioned the Seguin. I spent every summer in Muskoka from 1972 to 1996. Muskoka is a magical place.